Lightroom Presets

Lightroom Print Preset – Multi-Photo Portrait Grid

September 26, 2011
63

I’ve been working with the print templates a lot lately. A while back I released a multi-photo travel template that turned out to be pretty popular. I went back to it yesterday to work with some portraits, and made a few tweaks since the last time I’ve used it. Mainly, I went in and modified some of the spacing options and added some templates with a wide space between them and some others with a narrower space. There’s also a version with a black background and one with a white background.

Some tech specs: It only works in Lightroom 3. It’s based on a 12×12 inch paper size. There’s room for 16 photos in it which makes a really nice way to show off a portrait or engagement session.

Here’s how it works: First download and import the new print template. Look at the directions below and make sure you DON’T install this in the Develop module like you do the rest of the presets. In the Print module, go to User Presets and select the new template. It’ll show a blank page and all you have to do is drag your photos from the filmstrip into it.

Here’s a few samples (Click for a larger version).

(White Thin Border Preset)

(White Thick Border Preset)

(Black Thick Border Preset)

Also, here’s some other samples from the last preset, so you can see what it looks like with different photos as well as with the Photo Border option (in the Print module) turned off and on.


(Photo Border option turned off)


(Photo Border option turned on, Page Background Color set to white)


(Photo Border option turned on, Page Background Color set to black)

Customize – you can also customize this one by changing the “Page Background Color” option (which is in the “Page” panel in the lower right side of the Print module), as well as the Photo Border settings.

These are a little different to install than your usual Develop presets:
1) Click here to download the preset.
2) Unzip the preset zip file on to your desktop
3) Go to the PRINT MODULE (NOTE: THESE ARE NOT DEVELOP PRESETS SO DON’T INSTALL THEM THERE!)
4) Go to the Template Browser on the left. Right click on the words User Presets and choose “Import“.
5) Select the .lrtemplate file you unzipped in Step 1 and click Import (NOTE: DO NOT IMPORT THE ZIP FILE)

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63 comments

  1. Judi F. 13 August, 2013 at 15:14 Reply

    Thanks for sharing your talent, the templates look great; can’t wait to give them a try!
    Peace, Judi
    P.S. Got here from Linkedin LR group – thanks @Beth McNabb!

  2. Beth McNabb 3 August, 2013 at 06:06 Reply

    Hi Matt. I saw a question on a Lightroom Linkedin group this morning about making a collage in Lightroom and I immediately knew where to send the guy. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your talent!

  5. Yoram 13 November, 2011 at 12:35 Reply

    Hi Matt,
    I was able to install and use the preset. However, I was unable to position the pictures inside the squares. I tried the Ctrl+click (Got the hand) but was limited to left-right and not up-down, especialy on the lower parts of the template. Any idea?

    Thanks for sharing your templates with us.

    • David 28 September, 2011 at 10:00 Reply

      Jude,LR already has an overlay to view as the golden mean with the crop tool. Go to Develop>crop tool> then hit the letter “O” and will cycle through until you find the golden mean overlay,then hit shift O to change to move through the 4 positions.Then move crop to where it best works for you

  10. sc 27 September, 2011 at 14:39 Reply

    Matt, I love the layout of these. Probably a daft question but I’ll ask anyway, do these presets work in LR 2? If not, is it possible to achieve these types of layouts or something similiar in LR2. Again, apologies if you have this covered some where and I’ve missed it.
    Thks
    SC

  11. Mary 27 September, 2011 at 13:13 Reply

    This is a really dumb question… I am fairly new to using LR… how do I get pictures from various albums folders etc., into the print or develop modules? What I mean is, when I open LR, and go to the library, click the date (folder) only those images are in the filmstrip… can I pick say, various images of my dog from when she was a pup to full grown… and put them into a layout? Those images will be in different folders etc.

  13. Ken J 27 September, 2011 at 11:39 Reply

    Thanks Matt. Just thought I’d add that photos can be repositioned in a cell using Ctrl-Drag or Command-Drag. I had that question and was able to find the answer so am passing it along.

  14. Gordon 27 September, 2011 at 08:26 Reply

    Fine template so far. Unfortunately I won’t get Lightroom to the 12×12 format. I am using the german version, but I think the issue has to do with the installed printer (one DinA4, one DinA3).

    Can I say Lightroom in anyway to use a custom made paper size?
    I can’t find that setting, or I am to supid ;’)

    thanks for help
    Gordon

  23. Michelle 26 September, 2011 at 21:45 Reply

    Thanks for sharing these! I’ve recently discovered that collages like this can be made in LR3 and I’m so excited! That was the last thing making me hang onto Picasa! byebye!! Lovin’ my LR3!!

  24. Ruth Ann 26 September, 2011 at 21:17 Reply

    I’m really confused. 🙁 they downloaded quite fine for me and I followed the instructions to install. However, when I click on any of the templates in LR to use for my photos, it does *nothing*. I tried restarting LR, deleting and reinstalling, etc… but to no avail. Any idea why they won’t work for me?

    • Andy 19 October, 2011 at 11:36 Reply

      Vin, hold down the Control/Command key and the cursor(while on the photo) should turn into a move hand. Then you can move the picture around.

  31. Nikki 26 September, 2011 at 18:52 Reply

    Not having much luck with this. The template is 12:x12″ which is incompatible with all the print devices (HP printer, fax, PDF creator, etc.) available to me in the “Page Setup” dialog box. In the drop down menu for paper size, there is no “custom size” option to choose from, so I cannot specify a document print size of 12″x12″. Thus, the template formatting that shows in my LR3 window is completely messed up due to LR3 trying to force a 12″x12″ template into an 8.5″x11″ document size. When I mouse over the four different template files in the left pane, the preview window shows the 12″x12″ layout as it SHOULD look, but that is not what is showing in my center window. Tried to change devices in my “page setup” dialog box but none of those that are available have a 12″x12″ size option nor a custom option where you can specify your own dimension.

    • RON COMSTOCK 27 September, 2011 at 15:22 Reply

      You can create by adding any size in Acrobat Pro, . Now if you want, you can always
      print to a JPEG file and then print that to your printer and it will scale it to fit the paper size your using.

      Creating a similar Print Temp. in LR is easy, I think you might even find a video Tutorial on here as well, or use the LR help section in LR.

    • pete 28 September, 2011 at 05:54 Reply

      same here.

      i tried to set the dimensions to 12×12 but then the template only occupies a fraction of the 12×12 page.

      when i just click the tamplates it is shown on a din A4 page and images overlap.

      • baddal 28 September, 2011 at 21:54 Reply

        I have also same problem.when I mouse over on left side of panel on mates multi photo it looks like here sample 12×12 but when i choose template than change to A4 format.I don’t understand.but thanks a lot so nice template..

    • Allan Jackson 28 September, 2011 at 06:32 Reply

      I have the same problem and no Acrobat Pro. It seems really weird that Adobe would not have anticipated users wanting to create larger files than their locally installed printers can handle. Larger printouts are, after all, partly why we send stuff out to labs.

  41. Robert 26 September, 2011 at 14:19 Reply

    Hi Matt,

    Thanks for the tip and posting this. I’m excited to give it a try, please repost on facebook when the link is repaired so I can give it a go.

    Cheers!

  42. Manny 26 September, 2011 at 14:16 Reply

    Hi Matt,

    Thanks again for these wonderful templates.

    I posted this comment before however never got a response, so i thought i’d ask here.

    In the Print module i can drag an image from the filmstrip and place it on any box in the template. Using the CTRL key and mouse I can move the image left/right or up/down. How can I zoom in or out of that picture.

    Hopefully you can make a video or post a comment on a solution. Cheers!

  48. Stéphane 26 September, 2011 at 13:56 Reply

    Reading your article, I cannot wait to test this preset but get the same error message as Ron (404 – File not found).

    Stéphane

  49. RON COMSTOCK 26 September, 2011 at 12:16 Reply

    Matt,

    I get an error when I click link to download.
    404 — File not found.
    I tried Right click as well “save link as”
    Also nothing but an empty zip folder.

    I can see some good use to this type ans other types of similar Print Templates
    for Albums using “square pages” By using the “print to “JPEG FILE” option and sending to lab.

    Ron

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